Wind instrument mute holder



Patented Aug. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT' Aorinar.

2,607,497 I WIND INsTEUMENr MUTE HOLDER Louis M. Carlini, Rochelle Park, N. J.

This inventionfrelates'to a device for holding mutes for wind instruments. More particularly;

Musicians playing wind instruments are frequently called upon to change the tone of their instruments by inserting devices known as mutes into the bell of the instrument. 'Ihe necessity for such application of a mute, or for the application of a succession of different mutes, arises during the playing of many different types of music, in' some of which the musician may have to use as many as four different mutes in a very short time. 'I'his is particularly true of musicians who double, and thus must have readily available mutes for all the different Wind instruments which they play.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a holder for mutes for wind instruments, such that the mutes are readily available to the musician and may be easily inserted into, and removed from the mute holder.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of such holder ofgsimple, cheap, but sturdy construction, for attachment to a music stand, which positively holds the mutes so that they cannot fall.

A still further object of the invention, in one embodiment thereof, lies in the provision of a collapsible mute holder, of the type described, so that it may readily be carried as, for instance, in a case for a wind instrument itself.

These and further objects of the invention will be more readily apparent by a consideration of the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in end elevation of a preferred embodiment of the mute holder, such holder being collapsible;

Figure 2 is a view in plan of a partially formed blank from which the holder attaching means is formed;

Figure 3 is a view in plan of the collapsible mute holder; and

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation of such collapsible mute holder.

The preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, is collapsible. 'I'he main body of the holder of such embodiment, designated 40, is provided on its forward edge with three substantially parallel forwardly projecting fingers 42, 44, and 46, successive fingers Application April29, 1947, Serial No. '744,599

'2 Claims. (Cl. 211-87) providing spaces vtherebetween for engagement with'and the holding of such mutes. 'I'he upper surface ofthe main body and of the' fingers is provided, as shown in Figure 3, `which is preferred, with a cloth or felt covering 48 to prevent marring of the mutes.

The rear edge of body 40, which may likewise be formed from fiat sheet material such as sheet steel, is bent downwardly at an obtuse angle with respect to the body at the portion 5U. At the junctionof portions 40 and 5I) there is provided a transverse pintle pin 52, which is secured thereto as by welding. VThe upstanding member 54, by which the holderisattached to a support such asi the ledge of a music stand. is formed from a blank 54 such as that shownin Figure 2, which may likewise be made of thin sheet material. Such.. blank has rearwardly directed tabs from which the hooks 56 are formed, and ears 58 on each side edge thereof, such ears being provided with holes, as shown, for the reception of the ends of the pintle pin 52. When the blank is applied to the main body, the ears are bent into planes at right angles thereto, as shown in Figure 1, to form the ears 58 which depend at right angles from member 54.

As a result of such construction, when the holder is not in use portion 54 may be folded downwardly into contact with body y40 so that the holder becomes quite compact. The holder is further provided with an instrument supporting hook 60 which is likewise attached to the main body of the mute holder so that when the latter is not in use it may be retracted. The hook is provided at its rear with a longitudinally slotted eye portion 62, which contacts the under face of the forward portion of finger 44, and is attached thereto by means of the bolt 64 and the wing nut 66. When the holder is in use the hook may beadvanced to project the hook into the instrument holding position. When the holder is to be carried, however, wing nut 66 is loosened and the hook 62 is thrust back so that it lies substantially completely under finger 44.

Besides having the advantage of being collapsible and thus readily portable. the mute holder of the invention is advantageous since it may be employed on music stands in which the ledge, instead of being flat throughout its length, is composed of two or more angularly directed portions. The holder, therefore, may be hung on each of such angularly directed portions of the ledge and thus hold the mutes within easy reach of the musician.

Whereas I have shown and described a pregated main body portion made of sheet stock, the: forward edge of the body portion having a series;v`

of substantially parallel mute holdingngers on the body portion, cooperating Vmeans on the supporting member adjacent to its bottom edge" and on the body portion. adjacent the rear edge thereof, respectively, forfpivotally attaching such supporting member to the body'portion, the pivotal axis lying parallel to and adjacent the rear edge of the body portion, the bottom edge portion of the supporting member extending rearwardly of the aforesaid pivotal axis to form, with the rear edge portion of the body, a stop means, the confronting surfaces of the -rear end portion of the body portion and the bottom edgev portion of the supporting member being in contact when the' holder is in unfolded, operative,v condition, and rearwardly and; ,downwardly directed hooks on the topedge of'I the supporting member for engagement over the ledge .of the music stand.

2. A collapsible holder'for` mutes forv wind instruments, comprising a generally flat elongated main body .portion made of vsheet" stock, the forward edge of the body portion Ahaving a series of substantially parallel mute holding fingers projecting therefrom transverse to the length of the body portion, the rear edge of the body portion being bent downwardly along a line parallel to the length of the body, pintle pins secured to the body portion Iparallel to and adjacent such line of bend, a supporting member mounted on the body portion, ears on the supporting member fitting over the pintle pins` for pivotally attaching the supporting member to the body portion, said ears being spaced 'from the bottom edge of the supporting member, the bottom edge portion of the supporting member extending rearwardly of the aforesaid` pivotal axis to form with the bent rear edge portion of the body a stop means,

V.the confronting surfaces of the rear end portion of the-body portion and the bottom edge portion of the supporting member being in contact when the holder is in unfolded, operative, condition, and rearwardly and downwardly directed hooks on the top edge of the supporting member for engagement over the ledge of the musicstand. M

`LOUIS M. CARLINI.v

nnrEaENeasoiTEn l.

The following references are ofv record in th iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Opper 1 July 8, 

